Jade

Chapter 6

One week later...

The black Maserati Ghibli, outfitted with Forgiato wheels, glided over the cobblestone path leading to the three-story house nestled in the heart of Ansley Park, Atlanta. A'mouri parked behind his mother's Range Rover and hopped out, the soles of his Olivia Kim 4s crunching over the slushy, mud-tinted snow. As he approached the front door, he locked the car with a click, taking the stairs two at a time.

"Mom it's me." He said, ringing the doorbell then knocking on the door for emphasis. His mom finally answered his phone call right as he landed, so he knew she was expecting him.

Hearing the locks click, he anticipated his mother's face but was met with his step fathers instead.

"My mother here?" He asked dryly, his eyes scanning around the foyer from where he stood.

"You just pull up here now unannounced?" Robert asked, his expression and demeanor stoic and cold as if A'mouri was an intruder.

"Ma where you at?" He asked, ignoring Robert as he pushed past him and entered the house.

"If you really gave a fuck about your mother you would come out here more often and visit." Robert continued to taunt him, following him around the house as he searched for Amber.

He ignored him as he made it to the family room, seeing his mom seated at the bar drinking. The minute she saw A'mouri, her face lit up as if she forgot she invited him over. "Oh baby, you came."

"Yeah ma, I told you I would be here," He said, leaning down to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Enough with this drinking shit, I gotta talk to you."

Leading her out the family room, he led them to the office on the second floor before closing and locking the door.

"Ma what is going on with you? Why are you still living here?" He asked, getting right to the point.

"Where else would I go A'mouri? This is my home." She said, resting her glass of wine on the coffee table.

"It's not safe here for you. Who out here gonna help you when ol dude start putting hands on you again? Cause we both know it's gonna happen again since no matter what this nigga put you through you refuse to leave him." A'mouri said, growing angrier by the second.

"A'mouri I'm your mother. I should be worried about you, not the other way around," She said, taking a healthy sip of wine. "But I appreciate you checking on me baby."

"What is it gonna take for me to get you outta this situation?" He asked, ignoring her patronizing remarks.

"A'mouri I'm okay, trust me," She said, her deep brown eyes filled with sadness despite her face attempting to tell a different story. "Now tell me about Switzerland, I wanna hear all about it."

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"...Can I do the petite filet mignon with mash potatoes and broccolini? And then another lemon drop please." Jade handed her now folded menu to the waitress once she placed her order, turning her attention back to her manager Erin. "Thank you for meeting me here Erin, I know you have a busy schedule."

"I always make time for you, that's why my husband thinks I work too much." Erin teased as Jade laughed. "Your agent did call me to go over what Messiah sent over to us after speaking to you."